Roaringkit's MCA Ceremony

Honeydrop walked quietly into the nursery, her amber eyes downcast and her golden tail limp on the ground as she walked. While she still couldn't believe that her former apprentice, Puddlepaw, was gone, Leopardstar had convinced her that she should take on another apprentice. The tom, Roaringkit. The medicine cat hadn't really wanted to take on more responsibility so soon, but it would be unkind to neglect the tom for her personal weakness. The golden dappled she-cat took a deep breath as her eyes found the kit. Each step forwards was heavier and harder. In order to accept Roaringkit as her apprentice.... she would have to let go of Puddlepaw. She nudged the small kit wordlessly, unable to speak for her grief but offering a kind smile. Hopefully she would get her voice back soon enough to deliver the ceremony.

Roaringkit looked up from mindlessly drawing lines in the ground to see a cat he had been hoping to see more than anything. Honeydrop's kind nudge and smile made Roaringkit's chest rise with a burning forest fire of anticipation. There was nothing more that he wanted to do than become a Medicine Cat someday.

With a certain event in mind that convinced him to pursue healing, Roaringkit gathered himself together and let his determination retreat to hum in the back of his head. He could be overreacting, after all; the Medicine Cat might need him for something else. So, the kit nodded back in a hopefully respectful greeting and waited.

Honeydrop took a deep breath and was finally able to speak. "R-R-Roaringkit," she stammered out in her quiet voice, "w-would you like to be the m-medicine cat a-a-apprentice of Sh-ShadowClan?" There. It was done. Puddlepaw was gone. A heavy weight rested on the she-cat's heart, but she also somehow felt lighter.

Roaringkit stared for a moment, her words hitting him so swiftly that his heart released his worry into a wave of joy. His eyes started to burn, ready to tear up. "Yes!" He replied quickly, his roaring voice louder than usual in his eagerness. "I'll do my best!" The kit added with determination.

Roaringkit followed Honeydrop through the marshy territory, giving a slide glance at the hole that had trapped him and Echokit, where he learned that he wanted to heal. He had to scramble to keep up with the Medicine Cat's pace, stepping uncomfortably through spots of marshy water and climbing over old decaying logs.

By the time they reached Windclan's territory, Roaringkit's paws ached. His nose crinkled at the odd smell wafting from the border, but didn't comment due to a bigger, racid stench filling his nostrils. A dead, flat gray path stretched onto what seemed to be eternity from the left to the right. His fur bristled and his ears flattened when a shiny monster flew by, sending a buffeting wind at them as it passed.

**time skip**


Honeydrop padded steadily through the long, dark stone tunnel, guiding the kit with the occasional flick of her tail. Finally, after what seemed like moons, they reached the cavern. The moon was in just the right place, flooding the tiny room with light. The giant crystalline monolith, the Moonstone, towered over them like a pole reaching from here to Silverpelt, reminding them that StarClan was never very far away. No matter how often she saw it, it still managed to take her breath away. The light that shone bright as day from the stone reflected off her golden fur, making her glitter nearly as much as the diamond-filled sky above. Her hazel eyes sparkled like stars as she gazed at her soon-to-be apprentice. The warmth of conviction filled her heart to the brim, making her feel as if she glowed from the inside as well. She felt StarClan's approval- this was a good choice.

ShadowClan's medicine cat felt the presence and support of all the cats who had previously held her position, from Ebonyleaf to Alderheart, and it nearly brought tears to her shimmering eyes. She could feel StarClan's love, and she hoped Roaringkit could too. The golden dappled she-cat took her place by the Moonstone, hazel eyes gazing into his. The time-honored words rippled across her tongue, fell like a cascade from her mouth, and though the voice that spoke was Honeydrop's, warm and musical, the words echoing through the caverns were those of StarClan, the ancient ceremony brightening the whole of the Moonstone.

"Roaringkit," they spoke as a whole; Honeydrop's voice clear and serious, StarClan echoing quietly underneath, whispering the words they had given to Mothwing ages ago. "Is it your wish to enter into the mysteries of StarClan as a medicine cat?"

Roaringkit followed his soon-to-be mentor through the darkness, one side of the cave wall brushed freezing stone against his small pitch-black pelt, guiding the kit as he trailed behind Honeydrop's scent.

The darkness fell away with a sudden bolt of light shining down on a huge rock. The black kit's yellow eyes glowed in the presence of the Moonstone. They watered when he became overwhelmed with blooms of loving emotions that invaded his senses. Somehow, Roaringkit knew the emotions weren't his own.

Turning to Honeydrop, he felt a jolt of awe by the sight of the starlight shining in the medicine cat's hazel eyes. Her voice didn't stutter, becoming something that made Roaringkit understand the weight of the ceremony. He never wanted to say yes to something more than this moment. "I will," he replied solemnly.

Honeydrop nodded and looked up at the sky. "Warriors of StarClan, I present you with this kit. He has chosen the path of a medicine cat. Grant him our wisdom and insight so that he may understand your ways and heal his Clan in accordance with your will."The last of her voice verbrated through the cavern, and the stars above seemed to glow brighter in acknowledgement of her words. "Pr-Press your nose a-against the rock and c-close your eyes, R-R-Roaringkit. StarClan g-gets to give you your n-name- not me." The ShadowClan medicine cat followed her own advice and pressed her nose to the cold stone, falling instantly into sleep.

Roaringkit did as she told him to do, his nose brushing against the glowing rock as he curled up to sleep. The kit squeezed his eyes shut. He waited for a familiar warm darkness to take him into the dreamworld, but after some time it did not happen. Feeling slightly panicked, the kit shifted and tried again. Nothing.

When he opened his eyes, Roaringkit jumped to his feet with alarm. He was in an unfamiliar clearing, dirt sinking softly beneath his paws. How did he teleport from Moonstone to here?!

Then the stars started to move. They circled down from the sky, shimmering cats turning to face his tiny form. Roaringkit realized it must be Starclan, and looked upon them with wonder. He felt his chest rise when an unfamiliar cat approached him. "Starclan has watched over you and has approved of the medicine cat's choice," the starclan cat meowed. "From this day forward, you will be known as Roaringpaw. Train hard to understand the ways of a medicine cat and serve your clan to the best of your ability."

Before Roaringpaw could reply, the clearing with the huge rock at the center faded into darkness. He woke up no longer a kit, but as a medicine cat apprentice.